Pretty Woman

  • Review Date: September 11, 2005
  • R
  • Genre: Comedy
  • 1990
Review

Common Sense Media says

Cinderella meets the Sunset Strip.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this film contains adult themes, strong sexual references, and sexual imagery. Prostitution is one of the main issues dealt with in the movie. There are scenes of scantly-clad women, drug dealing, tobacco and alcohol use, and an incident of attempted rape. There is also occasional profanity.

  • Positive messages0
    The main character is a prostitute. Other characters are consumed by greed and materialism. However, by the movie's end, consequences are realized and the main characters learn from their mistakes.
  • Positive role models0
    Not applicable.
  • Violence3
    One scene of attempted rape.
  • Sex5
    Prostitution, sexual imagery, and discussion. Main characters do promote safe-sex behavior.
  • Language3
    Few isolated incidents of profanity.
  • Consumerism5
    Luxury brands and high-designer lines are glamorized in the film.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking3
    A few scenes of drug dealing, alcohol and tobacco use, though not blatant.
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What's the story?

PRETTY WOMAN follows the love story of hooker with a heart of gold, Vivian (Julia Roberts), and a stoic, detached, wealthy business mogul, Edward (Richard Gere), who treats all facets of life like a business merger. Vivian is a charismatic, "innocent" prostitute looking to make ends meet. Driving along the Hollywood strip one night, Edward stops and asks Vivian for directions. She drives him back to his hotel and stays the night. Bemused by her company, Edward hires her for the week at a rate of $3,000. Predictably, their relationship develops into more than that of employer/employee.

Is it any good?

 

One of the top-grossing romantic comedies of all time, Pretty Woman launched Roberts' career and popularized the moderm romantic comedy. Despite its formulaic plot, the movie succeeds, due in part to J.F. Lawton's clever script and the performances of Roberts, Laura San Giacomo, and Hector Elizondo as the hotel concierge.

Provided that your teen is mature enough to recognize the implausibility of such a story, Pretty Woman is relatively harmless and surely will outshine the myriad of lackluster and unsubstantial romantic comedies teens normally submit themselves to. However, it's important to remind your child that the reality of prostitution is much harsher than its portrayal in the film.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the harsh realities and dangers of prostitution, as compared to the film's portrayal of it in the film. 

  • Parents could discuss how the film treats the objectification of women.

  • Does being a prostitute make Vivian a lesser person?

  • Vivian's physical makeover brings up the issue of appearance and its
    relation to self-esteem. How does her transformation alter the way she
    perceives herself and is perceived by other people?

  • Another good point of discussion is the movie's commentary on greed,
    morals and materialism in today's society. Does money buy Edward
    happiness?

This review was written by Ellie Woodward
Studio:Buena Vista
Director:Garry Marshall
Cast:Hector Elizondo, Julia Roberts, Richard Gere
Genre:Comedy
Run time:125 minutes
Theatrical release date:March 23, 1990
DVD release date:September 6, 1997
MPAA rating:R
MPAA explanation:sexuality and some language
This review was written by Ellie Woodward
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
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